Non-refillable bottle.



`UNITED STATES Y atented july 7, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. MARsAND'rI-IoMAsgrI.l MARS, or ci-iIoAeo, ILLINOIS; SAID l EDWARD M. MARs AssIeNoRTo` sAID THOMAS I-I. MARS.

NoN-REFlLLABL BOTTLE.

srEcIFrcAfr'roN forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,062, dated .ruly 7, 1903.

` Application iledbrua'ry 17, 1903. Serial No; 143,791. (N0 model.)

'non-rellable bottles; and it has for its obj ect to provide a simple inexpensive constructionv which will prevent the refilling of the bottle unless the stopper or sealing device thereof be iirst destroyed.

The invention consists in the matters hereafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the same Will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, and in whichy Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of theA upper end portion of the bottle equipped with our improved sealing device, the latter being `shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of the sealing device or stopper; and Fig. 3, a detail of the locking-ring, whereby the stopper is permanently fastened within the neck of the bottle.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a whole a bottle which may be of any suitable construction so far as its general features are concerned so long as it be provided with a relatively long neck 2, having an internal annular shoulder or inwardly-proj ecting ribs 3. Within the neck is seated the ,v stopper, (designated as a whole 4,) which is constructed andarranged as follows: 5 designates an outer shell, preferably of frangible material, suchas glass, which is constructed to approximately fit the neck, is of generally cylindricform throughout its principal i rest upon the annular shoulder 3 of the bottleneck and limit the insertion of the stopper therein.

At or near its lower end the shell is provided with a second external `annular projection 7, which is of small enough diam-` eter to pass by the rib 3 of the bottle-neck jbottle.

and the upper surface of which is perpendicular to the side walls of the shell. Upon this lower projection is seated an expander (designated as a whole 8) comprising a springmetal band-ring 10, provided with a plurality of upwardly-projecting spring -iingers 11, which are curved outwardly to normally bear in yielding engagement with the interior of Athe bottle-neck. The length of the expanderfingers 11 is such that when the shell is seated within the bottle-neck the upper ends of said fingers fit closely beneath and are adapted to engage the under side of the rib 3 of the neck, the latter being to this end so shaped as to afford an abrupt shoulder, which positively prevents the withdrawal of the shell from the Within the shell is' seated an axiallydisposed cylindrictube 12,whichis desirably of uniform size throughout its length and is open at both ends,with the exception that the lower end is sligl'itly contracted to form a valve-seat 13, with which is arranged to cooperate a ballvalve 14. The tube 12 is arranged to extend through corks or filling-pieces 15 and 16, arranged at the lower end of the shell and at a point intermediate the length of the latter, respectively, the tube being thereby held reliably in position and with its upper end 17 abutting against the closed upper end of the outer shell. The upper end of the shell is provided with one or more longitudinally-extending slots 18 and also near its opposite or lower end with one or more longitudinal slots 19. The slots 19 are of considerable length and do not extend quite to the lower end of the tube, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. Vithin the tube is arranged a` stopper ``or cork 20, which is locatedat a .point intermediate the length of the slots 19 and serves `toicompletely partition the interiorjfthetube. A second ball-valve 21 is arranged in the upper end of the tube above the cork 20vto moreeifectually protect against picking or otherwise interfer- IOO ' device will result i n breaking the shell.

The operation of the device constructed and arranged as described is as follows: The bottle having been iilled and the parts of the stopper assembled in the relation described, the stopper as a whole is passed downwardly within the neck of the bottle until the springfingers 11 of the expander pass below and spring out beneath the annular rib 3. It may be noted at this point that the expander-ring 8 is split at one point to enable it to be assembled upon the shell. When it is desiredl to withdraw the contents of the bottle, the bottle is inverted and the ball-valves assume the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The liquid is then free to enter the inner end ofthe tube 12, passes thence out through the slots 19 to the space 23, from the latter back through the upper ends of the slots 19 into the tube, and again out through the slots 18 to the space 24 in the upper end of the shell. The liquid then passes out through the discharge-openings 22 and so escapes from the bottle.

Upon attempting to refill the bottle this is obviously impossible so long as the bottle is maintained upright. Should the bottle be inverted and immersed in liquid, the ballvalve 14 acts effectively as a check-valve, which prevents entrance of the liquid, for as soon as the liquid starts through the slots 19 it lifts the ball into Vthe valve-seat 13, thereby obstructing the passage into the bottle.

It is to be particularly noted that the construction is such that it is impossible to insert any kind of tool or device so as to hold or fasten the balls against acting, and this is especially true with reference to the main lower check-valve 14. It is sometimes attempted to surreptitiously iill bottles of this general character by fastening the valve member with glue or other adhesive, which is poured in in a liquid state and allowed to harden. Obviously this method cannot be worked successfully with the present construction. It is the intention to make the shell 6- of frangible material and sufficiently frail so that any serious tampering with the This does not render the device impractical, for the reason that the stopper is completely inclosed -within the neck of the bottle and therefore lprotected from injury. If desired, a protective stopper of cork or the like may be arranged within the neck above the stopper proper, as indicated inthe drawings.

We claiml. In-a non-refillable bottle, the combination of a bottle provided with a neck, a stopper to fit within said neck comprising a cylindric shell of frangible material with closed upper end, vmeans for seating said shell within said neck, an axially-disposed tube extending within said shell and having a valveseat at its lower end, a movable valve-body adapted to occupy said valve-seat, a pair of partitioning-diaphragms iitted within said shell and surrounding said tube, said tube provided with lateral openings near its ends, said shell having lateral openings near its upper end, and means whereby said stopper is permanently secured within the neck of said bottle.

2. In a non-reiillable bottle, the combination of a bottle provided with a neck, a stopper to fit within said neck comprising a cylindric shell of frangible material with closedupper end, an annular external rib upon said shell intermediate its height, a coperating annular'rib within the neck of said bottle, an axially-disposed tube extending within said shell and having a valve-seat at its lower end, a movable valve-body adapted to occupy said valve seat, partitioning diaphragms fitted within said shell and surrounding said tube', one intermediate its ends and the other adjacent its lower end, said tube having lateral openings near its ends, said shell having a plurality of lateral openings near its closed end, outwardly-projecting members associated with said shell and having engagement with the annular rib within said neck, whereby said shell is permanently held within said neck.

3. In a non-reiillable bottle, the combination of a bottle provided with a neck, a stopper to iit within said neck comprising a cylindric shell of frangible material with closed upper end, an axially-disposed tube extending within `said shell and having a valve-seat at its lower end, a movable valve-body adapted to 'occupy said valve-seat, a partitioningdiaphragm within said tube, a pair of partitioning-diaphragms within said shell and surrounding said tube, one intermediate its ends Vand the other adjacent its lower end, said tube having lateral openings near its ends, said shell having a plurality of lateral open-` ings adjacent its closed end, a second valve- `body within said tube above the dividingpartition the-rein, and outwardly-projecting spring-like members associated with said shell and engaging the under side of said annular rib within said neck, whereby said stopper is permanently held within said neck, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a non-reiillable bottle, the combination of a bottle provided with a neck having an internal annular projection and a stopper arranged to iit within said neck comprising an outer generally cylindrical shell of frangible material having a closed upper end, an anular external rib located at a point intermediate its height, adapted to engage the internal projection of the bottle-neck and limit the insertion therein, a lower external annular projection, a spring-expander fitting upon said lower projection, an axially-extendin g tube arranged within said shell and provided with an upper and a lower slot, an upper and a lower stopper arranged within said shell, through which stoppers said tube extends and whereby it is supported, a stopper arranged within the tube and so located therein as to divide' the lower slot thereof and ball- IIS Valves arranged within said tube above and mediate outer projection and the upper end below the stopper therein, the upper end of thereof, substantially as described.`

the tube being arranged to abut the closed EDWARD M. MARS. upper end of the outer shell and-the lower THOMAS H. MARS;

` end of the tube contracted to form an annu. Witnesses:

' lar Valve-seat, and one or more outlet-ports` ALBERT H. GRAVES,u

in said outer shell located between the inter- FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.- 

